Keep movement in mind

I do all my best thinking when I exercise. Most of the articles I’ve written are done when I’m pedalling on the Arc Trainer. This got me wondering about the effect of exercise on our mind. Often, clients I work with start off the session stressed from the day’s events. When they are done with the session, they leave feeling a lot better.

Stress is a built-up emotion. It can cause headaches, joint pain and digestive problems. From day to day, we all experience some level of stress. How do we handle it?

I believe the body is made to move. When we don’t make an effort to move, physical problems tend to worsen. I’ve never seen exercise make someone worse, when done appropriately. Even small doses of it help to manage the stress of everyday life.

Finding a physical outlet for your stress is ideal. Getting out in nature is absolutely a wonderful way of lowering your stress. Whether it’s taking a walk or a bike ride, you’ll find all your cares fall away, at least temporarily. But this still gives us relief from daily stress, long enough for our systems to move into a measure of recovery. Your endorphins kick in, and all of a sudden, you feel better!

Sitting in your house all day watching TV is one option. I’m not sure it’ll do much for your stress levels. I don’t know about you, but that makes my mind sluggish. If what you’re doing is making you feel that way, then I’d recommend a change. Your body is made to move! Take a short walk in the morning or venture out to a local hiking trail. Safe options are all around you. Choose what makes you happy and keep doing it.

#column #health #laurenwalker